When Lovers Part
by aussieaddicted
Summary: Join Detective Kate Beckett in a whole new kind of investigation! When Beckett realises why she recognised her favourite author, Richard Castle, she decides to go on a whole new adventure with her best friend Laney to try and understand why everything came to be the way it is.
1. Chapter 1

When Lovers Part

Yawning, Beckett took note of the dirty dishes, the mail and last night's leftovers. She'd been sleeping for most of the week, getting up only to stretch and nibble on something before she went spare. Bed rest was never something Kate had liked and never would be, but here she was with nothing to do and nobody to talk to. Being a detective, she was used to the busy life, constantly on the case with her colleagues.

She didn't know what was worse, having nothing to do, or having nobody to talk to, so she chose both, and picked up the phone. After one, two, three, rings, her best friend Laney, also someone who'd earned the night off, picked up the other end. "Hey, Laney…" she whispered. "I'm alone again, and I can't leave the house-" "Let me guess, you want someone to help you clean up?" "Yeah…" Kate looked around her slowly, before moving a box and sitting on her sofa with one leg crossed over the other. "Alright, sweetie. I'll be there soon. Give me ten, alright?" "Got it."

She leant forward noticing the mail she'd picked up earlier and opened the entertainment magazine to page seven, the page where her favourite writer would always be mentioned - Richard Castle, Rick for short. He was a mystery writer, full of twists and jokes, whether on screen, on paper, or in the interviews she'd read. She was intrigued as to what he'd got up to in the month he had been touring Canada for book signings, and only then did she notice it.

Across the room from her, she's always kept a diary from her early teens, and a book of photographs of her old friends, and her mother and father together. She always knew she'd recognised Castle's face at the first book signing she'd gone to whilst dressed as a sci-fi character from her favourite show. When she saw him, she knew by looking in his eyes that they had something in common, and only now, while looking through her most treasured photo album did she realise who he was - they'd spent a couple of weeks together in Spain, practically joined at the hip, when she was only 16. She'd met him when she'd gone to swim with the dolphins and he'd gone there with his younger cousins. She remembered.

She was dumbstruck. Completely. Waking her up from her daydream, she heard a knock on the door and picked up her gun for self defence completely forgetting who was on the other side. "Come on! Open up." The voice she'd heard was Laney's and boy, did she feel stupid. Her gun was tucked in her jeans when she unlocked the door. Noticing, Laney stepped back in surprise. "What have I done now?!" she joked. "Nothing." Kate forced a smile though her thoughts were still choking her.

"Come on now, Katie. We've tidied up your apartment and we've gotten through a bottle of wine between us. Tell me, what's up?" Laney placed her hands around Kate's and looked intently into her eyes. "You can tell me anything that's on your mind, okay?" Beckett nodded and realised how stupid she was being and decided to speak up. "Laney… you know the books I read?" Laney nodded in agreement before sipping on her glass. "I, um. I've found something out about that mystery writer." "Richard Castle? You mean, that one?" she pointed over to the shelves full of his work. "Yeah, him. Well, you know I've always gone on about how familiar he seems… I know why."

After hearing everything that Kate had to say, Laney jumped up in excitement at the news and thousands of ideas were bouncing around in her mind. "Luckily for you, he's signing in New York tonight on 34th!" Kate shook her head vigorously with tears in her eyes, not because she was sad, but because she was scared, and more than that, embarrassed. She never wanted him to know that she still thought of him, because she didn't know if he remembered her. She couldn't go. "No. No, Laney. I can't." "Yes you can. And you will!" her friend exclaimed, dragging Kate to the bedroom. "Pick something fancy, but not too needy. You don't wanna look all 'hi, I'm Kate Beckett, Detective for the NYPD, and I want you so bad.' You want to be calm and collected, like me!"

Kate smiled, trying on a third dress. "You're only going because Esposito is there on business. Everyone knows you both have the hots for each other!" Laney winked before turning again to see her best friend looking incredible. "It's perfect! Now you have to get him to sign your chest or it's just not right. Come on, it's in half an hour, we're going to be late!"


	2. Chapter 2

Waiting in line, Kate thought back to when she first met Richard. He was the most handsome, charming, and idiotic boy she'd ever set eyes upon, but for some reason, she really couldn't stand him. She thought he seemed pompous, and a month in Spain with him in the same hotel corridor as her family sounded dreadful and dismal. She wasn't looking forward to it at all, but after shouting at him several times, giving him snide remarks, and reminding him how good she was at karate, she started to realise that in fact, he was a genuinely caring guy who actually had ambitions, and the ambitions were what shocked her the most - he wanted to write books, and she thought he was the kind of guy to become something like a football coach, or perhaps one of those strict bosses that you just can't get rid of, or, well, something downright creepy and certainly too adult to think about. He'd shocked her and she'd fallen head over heels every time he uttered a word. Over and over again. She spent more time with him than she'd spent with any boy her age, and she was already sixteen. Now that she was an adult though, she wasn't entirely sure he'd be the same guy, because she was sure as hell she wasn't the same girl. She was more nervous than she'd ever been and yet her job was full of trouble and mystery. As they got closer to the front, she realised Laney checking out somebody across the room only to realise when she followed the trail, that it was Esposito, the man Laney only loved too dearly to mention. Laney wanted him so bad. She chuckled to herself imagining Laney trying to talk to Esposito about the attraction she had towards him and it made Kate feel momentarily better about the situation she was in, because at least she'd shared some romance with Richard previous to the current moment, and the moment was getting more current every passing second. Laney nudged her and she snapped out of her thoughts. "Uh, I'm Kate. Sign it to-" "Kate. Kate… Hm." She wasn't expecting him to say anything to her, but here he was pondering over her name, looking at her intently and smiling. "Do I? No… Impossible." He grinned and winked. "Where am I signing? I'm not seeing any books…" "Right here." Laney pointed to her own 'girls' and Kate's too. "Cheeky, are we?" Castle winked again before returning his gaze to Kate. "Um, you guys are the last in line, and usually that means you've earned yourselves a drink with me. Are you up for it? I'm paying, and if you'd like dinner, I'll buy something to eat to." Kate looked at Laney, and Laney at Kate. They didn't know what to think. "Oh, no… We could-" "We'll take it!" Laney grinned excitedly pushing her chest up and shaking her hips. "Kate, if you don't, I'm going alone, and having fun…" her eyes were wondering around the room suggestively and Kate caved. "Fine, but only two rounds. I'm returning to work next week."

Two rounds turned to three, and three to four. Kate and Laney were having the best time they'd had in a while, and Richard seemed to be enjoying himself too. He kept looking over at Kate and every time they latched eyes, they looked away. Kate had a spark of hope every time it happened. Maybe he did remember something after all. She prayed that he did. It would be something she could only dream of. She'd get with him, marry him, have children… "What are you thinking?!" she whispered sharply to herself, hitting her cheeks to give them colour. "Excuse me, guys, bathroom." She edged passed her friends and run off to the ladies room. "Stop it. You're fine. Nothing's going on. He doesn't remember. You'll wake up soon." She splashed her face with ice cold water and dried off with a towel before checking her teeth for lipstick as she heard the door creek open. It was Richard. "What are you doing in here?!" she squealed. "Shh!" he held her arm tenderly. "It's fine. I just wanted to ask you something. Alright?" She nodded, and sat on the surface near the sinks. "Go ahead." "Alright, so when I saw you at the signing earlier, you… seemed familiar. Do I? Do I know you from somewhere, Kate?"

Her heart was throbbing and the beats were quickening. Boom, boom, boom. Was her heart quicker than the bass or the bass quicker than her heart? She couldn't quite tell. Her world was spinning around her, she was wide awake, and here he was. Right here. She didn't want to believe what was happening and so answered with a simple "No," and a smile. She took his hand and dragged him back to the dance floor. "Come on, baby. Let's dance before the night's up!" and they did. They danced for hours, and when it was time for them to leave, she couldn't part with the warmth of his arms. "I have to go. Laney and I are going to my place, and we're getting some pizza. I'll see you another time?" "Yes. Another time. This night was incredible." He slipped a piece of paper into her hands and hailed for a cab. He was gone.

"Ahhhh!" Laney couldn't stop screaming. "He totally likes you! He likes you, he liiiiikes you!" "Shut up!" Kate whispered. "Who likes you?" "Wh-what?" they both turned rapidly to notice that co-workers Detective Ryan and Detective Esposito had been at the party to. "Was that Richard Castle?" Ryan asked. "That bunny boiler?" Esposito added. "He's not a bunny boiler." Kate chortled, folding her arms. "We just wanted a little fun." "Hmm… Fuuuuun." Esposito and Ryan loved teasing the girls and making fun of every situation going, whether it serious or not so serious, they always brought light into the day. "Come on, girl. You don't have to answer to them!" Laney giggled, staggering along the pavement with Kate, arm in arm. "Wait! At least share a cab with us? You're going to Kate's, right?"

Back in Kate's apartment, Ryan was asleep with a bottle of beer, and Kate was having a bath. It was only Esposito and Laney left in the room with the pizza and the wine. "Hey, Espo…" "Mhm?" They were both laying feet to feet across Kate's sofa and Javier sat up, wondering what he was about to hear or be asked about. He usually had a lot to talk about and so loved being included into almost any situation or conversation possible. He was quite the character. "I…I…" she was stumbling upon her words, and so took a deep breath. "I… I like you a lot. In fact…" she leant forward and their lips met. She noted how warm they were, soft too. They were just as she'd imagined. He kissed back, harder than the kiss she'd planted. "I think I love you." she managed to say as she sat apart from him.

"Guys, I'm gonna hit the sack!" Kate's voice boomed from the bedroom. "Laney, you coming?" "No, I think…" Esposito nodded at her, understanding what she was about to tell Kate. "I'm going to stay here with Javier." She cuddled up to him, still able to smell the beer and the wine and they both fell asleep within a couple of hours. Laney had never felt more free, but she wasn't sure she'd feel so free in the morning when she'd realised what had happened. She only dreamt of Javier, and he dreamt of cars, but the best part was that he didn't have to tell her first. He was happy.


End file.
